Cauliflower is a very mild vegetable and is most often seen on veggie trays because it has a great crunch and holds up well with thick dips. Roasting cauliflower brings out a sweet, nutty flavor that’s quite unexpected the first time you try it. The preparation in this recipe by keeping the cauliflower head whole creates wonderful little pockets for the spicy green curry sauce to seep into while it bakes. And look at the beautiful caramelization on the outer crust!
Ingredients:
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 yellow onion, finely minced
1 large head of cauliflower
1 can reduced-fat coconut milk
2 tablespoons Thai basil, finely chopped
2 tablespoons green curry paste
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
Zest and juice from one lime
Directions:
1) Trim the leaves from the base of the cauliflower and remove the stem.
2) Place the cauliflower in a deep pan and fill the pan with water, covering the cauliflower.
3) Heat the water to a low simmer over medium-high heat and cook the cauliflower for 10 minutes.
4) Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
5) In an oven-safe pan, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat and saute the garlic and onions for about 3 minutes until softened. Stir in the coconut milk, basil, brown sugar, curry paste, salt, and the lime juice and zest. Cook the sauce for 4 to 5 minutes until it begins to thicken.
6) Pour the sauce into a glass measuring cup and transfer the par-cooked cauliflower to the oven-safe pan, bottom side up. Pour half of the sauce over the cauliflower, so it seeps into the tiny crevices, then turn the cauliflower over and pour the remaining sauce on to the top.
7) Place the pan in the oven and roast the cauliflower for 45 to 60 minutes until the cauliflower is tender in the core when pierced with a fork. Baste the cauliflower every 15 minutes as it roasts to create the caramelized crust.
8) When you’ve achieved the tenderness and caramelization desired, remove the pan from the oven and carve the cauliflower into thick slices.
9) Serve over brown rice with the remaining curry sauce, and garnish with fresh basil.
